Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain admits that it ‘hurt’ to miss last season’s FA Cup Final triumph over Hull City through injury, but insists that he does not want to feature at Wembley this time around through sentiment alone.

His substitute appearance against West Brom in Arsenal’s final league match of the season was his first match for the Gunners in over two months.

The layoff was a bitter pill to swallow for Oxlade-Chamberlain. Having made just six appearances in all competitions since the turn of the year, after a brace worn to aid a knee problem contributed to an ever more serious hip injury.

The hamstring injury suffered in the FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester United was, remarkably, the first muscle pull of his career. Something which the England international takes pride in.

“That is something you have to be proud of when you are a sprint athlete,” he told The Times.

“My body wasn’t working like clockwork and that can catches up with you and it did. I have been working hard all season with the medical team to try to keep it under control and it got to a point that it seemed to get a little bit worse and I had to take time out. That is frustrating.”

Setbacks are hard to stomach for a player who saw his hopes of featuring in his first FA Cup Final snatched away from him last season.

JAMES OLLEY'S FA CUP PREVIEW

Having featured throughout Arsenal’s run to the Final, including the semi-final penalty shoot-out victory over Wigan, a groin injury ruled him out last May’s showpiece.

But Oxlade-Chamberlain hopes that sentiment alone doesn’t see him take to the field on Saturday.

“It is important I don’t get picked through sentiment or feeling sorry,” he continued. “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking about missing it.”

“It hurt [to miss last season’s final] and it was tough after playing in pretty much all the rounds.

“There weren’t tears, because I am realistic, honest with myself and that is how it goes. When the final whistle went I was over the moon.

Having ditched the painkillers to allow his body time to recover naturally, Oxlade-Chamberlain is hoping that injury nightmares are behind him.

“Old pros will tell you that you go through games and need a painkiller,” he added. “It is never ideal and everyone knows it. The nature of the beast, wanting to play every week and the demands and pressure to play, is just as important.

“The club never put pressure [on me] as it will do damage, and if it is no good for you in the long run, it is no good for the club.

“I feel like I am free. Not relying on something to play makes you feel like a kid again. Maybe this break will help me next season.”

Arsenal's route to the FA Cup Final

Arsenal's route to the FA Cup Final

1/5
Arsenal 2-0 Hull City

Arsenal recovered from a disappointing defeat at St Mary's by defeating Hull, the side they had vanquished in the previous year's final.
Per Mertesacker hit back against his critics with a goal to cap an excellent personal display whilst Alexis Sanchez wrapped up a nervy tie in the final ten minutes.

Getty

2/5
Brighton 2-3 Arsenal

A tough trip to the Amex saw an Arsenal side mixing reserves and first teamers hold on against the Championship club
The match included one of the highlights of the cup run when Tomas Rosicky finished his no-look one-two with a spectacular volley to go with goals from Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil.

Getty

3/5
Arsenal 2-0 Middlesbrough

Olivier Giroud's two goals took Arsenal into the last eight with comfort.
Gabriel made his debut and couldn't have asked for a simpler assignment, as two goals from the Frenchman in the space of three first-half minutes killed the tie early on.

GETTY

4/5
Manchester United 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal picked up a first win at Old Trafford since 2006, and it was former United man Danny Welbeck who got the Gunners' winner.
A thrilling Cup tie saw a red card for Angel di Maria and a superb team goal finished off by Nacho Monreal before Welbeck's winner in the second half.

Getty

5/5
Reading 1-2 Arsenal

As was so often the case this season Sanchez was Arsenal's hero as they secured a Wembley return.
But the semi-final was defined by two goalkeeping errors. Wojciech Szczesny palmed Garath McCleary's volley into the net as Reading drew level. But it was heartbreak for Reading's otherwise excellent Adam Federici, who let a Sanchez shot squirm under him, ending his side's dreams of a first FA Cup final.

Getty

“I found my role in the team and what I could contribute was an important part of the team dynamic,” he continued. “Once you find that, you feel like you belong, your confidence is a lot higher and you play better. I would like to have had more goals and assists.

“I am a bit critical. When you have been out, you look around and you try to picture where you are going to fit back in. You don’t sign up to Arsenal for an easy ride and a guaranteed place.

“Sometimes you get people who sign up for a club and don’t understand what it means for the club to succeed, but they have been influential in buying into Arsenal. It is our time to shine and push the club forward.”